Suwon is the largest city and capital of Gyeonggi Province, which is South Korea's most populous province. Located approximately 30 km (19 mi) south of the national capital, Seoul, it serves as a major urban center in the region.
The city has a population of 1.2 million people, exceeding the number of inhabitants in the metropolitan city of Ulsan. While it holds significant size and importance within the province, Suwon is designated as a special city and possesses a lesser degree of self-governance compared to other administrative classifications.